The River Orrin to the west of Muir of Ord is a reasonably fast flowing and wide river which had long caused a problem for travellers heading across Ross-shire to Wester Ross. When Thomas Telford started on his commission for Highland roads and bridges, the crossing of the Orrin was one of the first plans to be submitted for consideration, but 20 years later, after much discussion and disagreement, the Orrin remained unbridged.

The old bridge

The Orrin was eventually bridged, however, and while the original structure is no longer standing, its location can be identified. It sat a little way downstream of the modern bridge, with the old approaches on either bank of the river still in place, that to the east still in use to access property. Little seems to be known of this bridge, although it is likely that it was a narrow stone arch bridge.

The new bridge

The A832 now crosses the Orrin on a new concrete bridge which takes a more direct, sweeping bend across the river in place of the meander across the old bridge. It carries a full S2 carriageway and pavements between metal railings for parapets.